It features a diverse lineup of writers from across the world and includes topics such as: Egyptian Folk Proverbs, Classical Art of Indian Heritage, Rituals of the Algerian City of Tébessa, Moroccan embroidery and many more.

The current issue also begins with special spot light on the recent 5th International Organization of Folk Art (IOV) Youth Congress, which took place in Poland, in July 2017. The president of the IOV, who is also the Director General of Folk Culture attended and gave a speech at the conference.

Folk Culture is published quarterly every year from the Kingdom of Bahrain. The highly sought out specialized journal is distributed around the world and works in cooperation with the IOV.

Our Missionis to preserve, protect and promote all forms of folk art and folk culture as elements of the intangible cultural heritage through our network of individual and institutional members.

Our Credentials
In 1998, IOV entered into Operational Relations with UNESCO. In recent years, new partnerships have been formed and older ones strengthened:

2010: UNESCO accredits IOV as a Consultant to the
Intergovernmental Committee for Safeguarding of the Intangible
Cultural Heritage

2010: UNESCO identifies 40 IOV experts in the ICH

2011: UNESCO reclassifies IOV to Formal Consultative Relations

2012: IOV enters Special Consultative Relations with The United
Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)

Our ProgramsIOV Conferences
IOV sponsors international and national conferences, workshops, seminars and other events designed to inform IOV members and the public about its work to Safeguard the Intangible Cultural Heritage. In a typical year, IOV conferences are organized in 8 to 10 regions of the world. In addition, national sections meet once a year to elect officers.

IOV Festivals and Exhibitions
IOV sponsors international and national folk dance, music and song festivals, culinary festivals and other festive events. IOV also supports exhibitions of costumes, masks, puppetry, and all types of handicrafts.

IOV Youth
IOV has established programs to prepare young people for positions of
leadership in IOV. World youth congresses have been held in Utah, USA (2008); Nanjing, China (2010); and, Tjorn and Stockholm, Sweden (2012).

Message By Carmen D. Padilla

The three decades and a half since the founding of IOV by Alexander Veigl has proven that this organization is here to stay.
Members and officers have come and gone but the institution has continued in full steam thanks to many members who have cooperated and sustained the activities in their respective countries.
It is time to review the purpose and the objectives for which IOV was established.
In the spirit of the UNESCO Convention on the safeguarding and preservation of the Intangible Cultural
Heritage of the world IOV pursues the strategies along this line through its activities such as festivals, fora, workshops, assemblies covering the different elements of ICH such as traditional dance, music, crafts, cuisine, medicine and others.
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